AnswerBorderlands 4
Was Loveless nerfed in Borderlands 4 update 1.11?
Short answer
Yes, partly. Gearbox's Version 1.11 notes (22 October 2026) take some power away: Optimization no longer gains Symbiosis Stacks, and Visual Paradox Nexus now needs Montage Maker for its 50% gun damage boost. Other changes add power, such as 33% more Contagion Executable Damage and 66% more Lag Switch damage.
Partly: cuts and boosts
Gearbox released Borderlands 4 version 1.11 on 22 October 2026 with balance adjustments for Loveless the Hacker. Some of the changes in Gearbox’s 1.11 notes reduce her power and others increase it, so the update is not a one-way cut.
On the cut side are Symbiosis Stack changes, the Visual Paradox Nexus (VPN) damage bonus and several stack resets. On the boost side are more damage for Contagion Executables and Lag Switch, a bigger Kernel Panic bonus, more health from Pure Fusion and a faster Wyrm.
Symbiosis Stacks and the VPN bonus
Gearbox’s 1.11 notes say Optimization no longer gains Symbiosis Stacks. You also lose In Memoriam Symbiosis Stacks if Wyrm despawns, and Host Privileges stacks reset when you respawn and when you reload the world. Storage Upgrade goes the other way: it grants Symbiosis Stacks when In Memoriam stacks are left over.
For VPN, Gearbox’s notes say players without Montage Maker were “erroneously” getting the skill’s 50% extra gun damage while invisible. You now need Montage Maker for the boost, so VPN builds without it lose that extra gun damage.
Loveless changes at a glance
| Skill or item | Change in 1.11 | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Paradox Nexus (VPN) | The 50% gun damage boost while invisible now requires Montage Maker | Weaker without Montage Maker |
| Optimization | No longer gains Symbiosis Stacks | Weaker |
| In Memoriam | Symbiosis Stacks are lost if Wyrm despawns | Weaker |
| Host Privileges | Stacks reset on respawn and on reloading the world | Weaker |
| Accelerat.exe | Stacks reset after you die or teleport | Weaker |
| IHATEYOU | Shurikens no longer trigger Devourer | Weaker |
| enrag.exe | Function Commands can’t be used while Wyrm is Berserk | Weaker |
| Contagion Executable (Plague Star) | 33% more damage | Stronger |
| Lag Switch | 66% more damage | Stronger |
| Kernel Panic | 10% Executable Damage per point per stack, up from 5% | Stronger |
| Pure Fusion | 10% Maximum Health per point, up from 6% | Stronger |
| Wyrm | Higher speed and turn rate | Stronger |
| Storage Upgrade | Grants Symbiosis Stacks when In Memoriam stacks are left over | Stronger |
| Contagion (RAM trait) | Grants RAM | Changed |
| d://File | Deals radiation damage; Hazards removed for performance reasons | Changed |
| Refactored Damage Formula | Changed to 1.5/2.0x damage | Changed |
Version and platform notes
Checked against Gearbox’s Version 1.11 notes on Steam, dated 22 October 2026.
Related questions
Was the VPN 50% damage bonus removed in update 1.11?
Only for builds without Montage Maker. According to Gearbox's 1.11 notes, those builds were erroneously getting 50% extra gun damage from Visual Paradox Nexus while invisible. The boost now requires Montage Maker.
What changed for Symbiosis Stacks in update 1.11?
Per Gearbox's 1.11 notes, Optimization no longer gains Symbiosis Stacks, and you lose In Memoriam Symbiosis Stacks if Wyrm despawns. Going the other way, Storage Upgrade grants Symbiosis Stacks when In Memoriam stacks are left over.
What does Montage Maker do?
The Borderlands Fandom wiki says the Montage Maker class mod gives Loveless +50% Damage Dealt while she is Stealthed. Since 1.11, Gearbox's notes also make it required for the Visual Paradox Nexus 50% gun damage boost.
Sources
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